The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1887-02-19
BANCROFT AND BYRON.

In the Century, Professor Sloane, for
merly private secretary of Bancroft, tells
by authority the story of the meeting OF
Bancroft with Goethe, Schleiermacher and
Byron. We quote as follows: "The
American squadron was lying at the time
in the harbor of Leghorn, and Bancroft
was invited by the commodore to meet
Byron aboard the flagship. There were
resent only a few other Americans,
among them the consul at Tunis, with
his wife and several ladies. When the
poet, accompanied Ly his host and the
principal officers of the feet, came up the
companionway, his countenance immedi-
ately fell at the sight of the ladies among
the new arrivals, thinking, probably, that
they were Englishwomen who had taken
advantage of the opportunity to spy him
cut. But on learning that they were
Americans, he at once recovered his cheer
fulness and was most approachable. In
fact, when the consuPs wife laughingly
said that her children would want some
proof that she had seen Lord Byron, she
was permitted to take the rose from his
buttonhole. Before leaving, the noble
mans secretary invited Bancroft in his
masters name to visit Monte Nero. So
intense was the enthusiasm for Byron
among the officers of the fleet that when
he was rowed ashore one captain manned
his yard-arms and fired salute, but the
commodore, feeling that the guest Of the
day had no position which warranted SO
official greeting, allowed it to go no
further. Shortly afterward, Bancroft
wrote note to ask if he might call at
Monte Nero, and received pleasant,
lively reply. Byron's reception of his
guest was cordial. He was simply but
carefully dressed, and during the break
fast talked Of Jeffrey and the bitter at
tacks of the Edinburgh Revieao. His eye
was bright and his manner animated, but
without bitterness or rancor. He seemed
intensely interested in Goethe, and asked
many questions about him. The idea that
Manfred was based on Faust he declar-
ed to be false, explaining that he had
never seen Faust He was evidently
delighted to hear how great favorite he
was everywhere in Germany. He spoke
also of Thorwaldsen's busts, and said,
with seeming dissatisfaction, the last one
was too spare. After breakfast he invited
Bancroft into the drawing room, from the
windows of which, he sale, Elba was visible,
and indeed it was, but very dimly. While
they we're standing absorbed in trying to
discern its outline, the door opened softly
and light footstep was heard. 1t was
that of the Countess Guiccioli, and with
out the slightest embarrassment Byron
turned and presented Bancroft to her.
She at once made some Introductory
remark in italian, and talked for some
time. The conversation became general,
and in the course of it Byron remarked,
incidentally, that the Countess did not
like the soothing tone of Don JUAN and
had entreated him not to go on with it,
and that he had received letters from
others to the same effect That Bancroft's
visit was remembered with pleasure is
evident, both from the letters to Murray
in which Byron alludes to his young
visitor, and from the presentation copy
of Don JUAN with the authors auto
graph, still in Baneroft's library"